I’ve been wracking my brain for a good question this week. How about something regarding the Prototype?

While the Prototype was probably meant as a one-shot, how do you think Miura’s intentions for the series changed between what we see in the Prototype and the first episodes of volume 1? The difference in Guts’s attitude and appearance are pretty notable in particular. What do you think were some of the reasons behind those shifts? And why did he ditch that rad eyepatch?

Thanks! Any other questions? Tomorrow's podcast will be about Gigantomakhia issue 2 and Volume 1.

Sure, I got couple - Once they're finished with their Berserk movie adaptations, how would you feel about Studio 4°C taking on Gigantomachia next? And when Gigantomachia's YA run is complete and all six of its chapters will be bound in a tankobon volume, as a bonus would you like for the release to include Miura's two early Sci-Fi manga shorts "Futatabi" and "NOA"?

I have several questions or rather topics that might be interesting to discuss through the Arc –

-Do you think Miura always intended Farnese to join Guts? Her sadism and glee for burning people alive and even getting off on it is pretty dark.

-Any thoughts on whether “The age of darkness” is what precedes the incarnation of Griffith. It’s a pretty bleak time with the plague, war, and inquisition. Perhaps it’s an intentional set up from the God Hand to have a need for a savior.

-I’d love to hear discussion on the vision everyone has of the Hawk. Zodd and the King have particularly great ones.

-I’d love to hear talk about Godo and Guts last meeting. It’s some of the most meaningful dialogue in the series in my opinion.

-The historicity of some of these torture techniques would be interesting if it isn't too morbid.

-Mozgus and his torturers have always seemed like some of the most “comic bookish” of the series, being painted in very broad strokes. We don’t see this type of religion again later when we meet the pope or go to Vrittanis. Do you think this was Miura’s showing how religion would behave if it was unknowingly worshiping an evil god?

-Why do you think the church was so concerned with stamping out heretics all of a sudden in refugee camps during an invasion?

-Are the cultists actually flaying priests, or is this the Beherit apostles doing?

-Serpico’s duel with Guts on the cliff is one of my favorite, I’d love to hear your take.

-The specters becoming an oozelike wave of acid is terrifying and spooky. Some of the imagery is just iconic. Can you go into the interpretation of how and why this is happening? The volumes are a bit vague about it, but it appears to be the malice and suffering in the area are particularly strong at Albion and the presence of two branded people seems to make it take shape suddenly. We never see this before or since. What are your thoughts?

-The cultish heretics seem to be worshiping Slan unknowingly. I find it interesting that the church worships the Idea of Evil unknowingly and the Heretics worship a Godhand. Not as far apart as they’d seem.

-At what point does a scene become pornographic? The orgy scene in the heretic cave is pretty damn lewd.

-Some talk about Nina would be interesting. I find her to be a really unlikable character. Not only is she selfish, cowardly, and constantly crying, but she belongs to a cult that eats boiled babies, tries to murder her boyfriend, and throws others under the bus constantly to save her skin despite having a terminal illness.

- I’d love to hear your thoughts on the interaction that must have occurred off screen between Zodd and Skull Knight

-Rarely is it mentioned that by Griffiths incarnation, this imitation eclipse has killed far more people than the original one that birthed Griffith. Thousands if not tens of thousands of knights, clergy, and refugees end up either being crushed by the tower or become consumed by the Specter ooze. I find this even worse than the eclipse, in that it’s innocent families that make up the majority of it.

-Do we think that the Holy Iron Chain Knights are utterly destroyed by the end of this? It seems Azan, Jerome, Serpico and Farnese are all that’s left. The loss of dozens of noble heirs might also be a hit to the land and pave the way for a savior like Griffith.

Do you think the Beherit Apostle's brand exacerbated the situation along with Guts' and Casca's? It's clear that as an apostle it would not attract spirits to attack it, but I wonder if it didn't have any effect on the situation or not.